Have you got water? There’s an understandable relationship between plants and water. Plants need water to survive and flourish and where there is clean, fresh water in nature, plants are likely to be found. Humans also need both water and plants to survive and flourish, and have then sought out these places to make their homes. In arid places like the Middle East, cultures developed around the sparse areas of water and plant life, like ancient Egyptian culture that developed in the fertile areas along the Nile River. As these civilizations grew, more
developed humans began constructing gardens of leisure; first in their communities, then in their palaces, and finally in their homes. Throughout that time water features have remained a central part of their gardens.
But it’s more than just tradition that guides us to having water features in our gardens. It’s the more abstract, sensual, and instinctual reaction we have to them. Gardens are built to be places for the senses. We always think of bright colors to look at and sweet fragrances of flowers and we look for the best plants to offer these things. What about sound. The rustling of leaves in the wind and birds chirping in the trees are parts of the experience. What about the sound of running water? What could be a more relaxing sound than a gently running stream in the garden? Its soothing on the hottest days of summer. Even something a little more dramatic, like the splash of a waterfall, adds to the sensual experience in the garden.
Today we have more ways than ever to add the element of water to the garden. Ornate and formal fountains can be a stand-alone features and focal points of the garden. Water features can be designed to blend into a swimming pool to add something dynamic. More subtle approaches can be incorporating the water feature into a natural element such as a boulder, or even obscuring the fountain completely and relying on sound alone. You can have ornamental
ponds for specimen fish or a dry creek bed that only comes alive after a rain shower.
Our landscape architects are experts in creating interesting ways to use water features to enhance your garden and are very helpful in finding the best option to fit one’s desires. If you are looking for a long range plan for your garden we can design a master plan to make a water feature a part of it. If you already have a garden in place, we can design the right type of water feature to fit. And our talented crews will make sure that it is installed right the first time so you can be sure you will have many years of enjoyment. Visit us on www.houzz.com to see more of our water features and let us know how we can help you bring the experience of a water feature to your landscape.
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